Title Pending
by Squidster
Summary: Hopefully a future longfic, Claire moves to Mineral Town from the big bad city, but does she have more history here than she thought? If Claire can move beyond her troubled past there may be love waiting for her. I suck at summaries, R&R please!
1. First Chapter

Okay, so this isn't my first fic but it's my first in a while so please please PLEASE go easy on me. Flaming is accepted but if you don't like it tell me what's wrong so I can fix it! I suck at summaries (like I said in the summary) and these first few chapters are just intro so bear with me. I'm pretty sure I know where I'm going with this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon or any of the characters.

* * *

To think, I've been here for so little time, yet I have more roots down here than I ever had in the city. I feel so attached to this little town with its little people and I can't help thinking, _how did she do it?_

Did she really want the city so bad that she would leave a place like this with people like these ones? How could I ever leave shy little May, looking for a role model or Ellen who loved every single person she met? Or did she do it because of people like Siabara, rough and scary, and Dr. Tim, serious and blunt? I don't think I could even leave them.

_No_, I thought, _she didn't leave because of them. She left because of him. It may have been a different man with different circumstances but you know what they say- _

His face came into my head and I knew what I had to do. I picked up my suitcase and walked out the door, and for the first time since I moved to Mineral Town, I locked it behind me.

–_like mother, like daughter._

* * *

It was 4:48 when I started to watch the clock. My office job wasn't any kind of exciting and things had really been getting hectic lately. Usually when I worked Sundays it was the best day of the week. Most people took that day off so the office was quieter and you could just sit and do what you were supposed to do without any drama or distractions. Unfortunately, this week was different. This week was the week before Christmas so everyone was working overtime (even on Sundays) so they could get Christmas off.  
I signed off the computer and put my things away 5 minutes early then went to the bathroom and left the building. Fortunately, it didn't start raining until after I got to the shelter of the bus stop.

The bus came right on time at 5:10 and picked me up along with three other passengers. The first, a middle aged man wearing a tan overcoat, the second, a girl only a little younger than me who looked like she spent way too much time on her hair and makeup. The other was an odd man. He wasn't old but he wasn't young and he rode the bus every day with me, though I wasn't sure which building he worked in. I had been riding the bus with these people since I started that job about seven months earlier and I still didn't even know one of their names. I'd never spoken to any of them even once and it was perfectly normal. The city was just like that I guessed.

I got off the bus two blocks from my house. It was still raining but it was harder than when I got on the bus. This is when I discovered that I had left my umbrella at the office. I attempted to cover my head with my flimsy sweater but it soaked through and I got wet.

I was nearly soaked when I finally reached my flat and vainly called "I'm home!" before I threw my mass of soggy sweater on the bench by the door and kicked my shoes off, nearly hitting my puppy, Slaney.

I looked at the dog for a few moments and she looked at me blankly in the adorable way puppies do. "I got you so that you would welcome me home and be my friend", I said to her. She tilted her head to one side and continued her blank stare. I couldn't stay mad, or even get mad, at her so I snatched her into my arms and gave her a kiss on the head. She gave me a lick on the cheek in return and I went to take a shower.

Every night before I went to bed I would look at the paper and see what things had been going on in the world. Lately though there had been constant homicides and deaths which I just couldn't stand so that day I did something I'd never done before – I turned to the real estate section. That was when I saw it.

"Would you like to enjoy a peaceful and refreshing farm life? For more info contact (555) 123-4567."

I thought about what it would be like to live on a farm… There would be no bustle or pressure or cares. There would be nature all around you and people you could actually get to know. There would be a sense of family and togetherness – like you really have a purpose. Life would be more intimate and romantic and warm… The city is so cold and lonely; you're left to fend for yourself everyday… In a small town, in a farming town, everyone looks out for each other…

Come to think of it the only reason I came to live in the city was because it's where my mother always wanted to be – it's where she raised me. I always hated the city; I could never make friends and got walked all over. Sometimes the city felt like a dream land where anything could happen – the most romantic place ever – but after actually being here and living the "city life"… nothing about it is romantic or wondrous at all.

It was decided. I would move to that farm. I would buy cows and sheep and raise them. I would grow crops and eat them and sell them. I would have chickens, as well. I may even have a horse. A farm is the perfect place for Slaney, too.

I rushed over to the phone as quick as I could and dialed the number…

"Hello, is this MT Realtor? I'm calling about the farm…" I said in a rush, before I could change my mind.

A week later, the day after new years, I came to my new home.

It wasn't what I was expecting. It was a dump. So I was eager to get things worked out when the mayor arrived.

He was a short man, kind of goofy looking with beady eyes and a round pink nose. He wore a red suit with a yellow bow tie and a red top hat that was definitely too small for his head. His haircut was odd as well (bald on the top with a shoulder length flip in the back) but it was really his big bushy mustache that made him look so outrageous.

The first thing he said to me was "Are you a tourist?" he didn't sound very smart and I was already irritated about the farms condition. All I could do was shake my head so I wouldn't say anything that I would regret.

He walked over to me then. "MT realtor told you that you can live a refreshing life on the farm?" he asked. "You're the new farmer?"

I nodded.

Then he started to laugh. Can you believe it? I am the newest member of this town and he, a political figure and a role model of the town, was laughing at me! "You've been tricked. It used to be a gorgeous farm, but not anymore since the owner passed away." He informed me. "As you can see, no one's been taking care of it."

_Obviously_, I thought. He is NOT getting my vote in the next mayoral election.

"Not may people want to work on the farm now. So they decided to make the advertisement sound more attractive. It's been a while since the last one though…"

_That's advertising for you_.

"Every now and then, people who have seen the ad come here. Just like yourself. But as soon as they see the farm, they get disappointed and leave. Just like that." He said it almost like he was sorry for me, but I knew he was just sorry that no one was here to make money and pay taxes, just like every other political figure.

That made me furious.

He saw the look on my face and paled a bit. "I see. You believed that cheesy advertisement." Then he started to laugh again.

I couldn't take his torment any longer so I pulled out my hammer and hit him with it as hard I could.

"Ow ow ow… ouch. Okay, okay, sorry. Please stop hitting me." I rolled my eyes and almost hit him with my axe too but decided against it. I nodded at his request and explained to him why I was so mad.

A feeble look came to his face. "…I see. You quit your job and moved out of your apartment… that's too bad…"

I glared at him and nodded.

He brightened up like he just came up with a great idea. "Hey, why don't you just try and run the farm? The house is livable, and actually pretty nice."

I thought about it for a second and he started to speak again.

"If you work hard, I think you'll be happy here." He was grinning now. "As the mayor of this town, I will help you as much as I can."  
I reluctantly smiled "Lets do it!" I agreed.

After the mayor left I picked Slaney up "Alright! I'm going to make this farm the best farm in the world!" I said to her. I had my enthusiasm back!

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**This is going to be a romance fic (hopefully a long one) so any plot or character suggestions, commentary on my writing style, praise/flame on the story are all accepted with open arms and squeals of glee.**


	2. Second Chapter

**Second Chapter! Yah! This is the longest fic I've ever written without assistance! I still have an idea of where I'm going with this in the long run... short term, eh, I'll figure it out :)**

The next morning I awoke expecting my old one bedroom, one bathroom apartment with a kitchen and heating system. I was instead greeted by a dismayingly small one room cabin furnished with nothing but a small mismatched table set, an ancient television, a book shelf stocked with a handful of old farming books, and the twin bed I was laying in. Of course I had attempted to spruce up the place with a few room accessories but everything looked ridiculous and the only thing that I thought looked decent enough to keep was a calendar of Hawaiian landscapes. Not even the area rug, which covered up the easily dirtied wood floors, looked good. So needless to say, the place looked pretty bleak.

The cabin's looks alone was enough to wake me up on the wrong side of the bed but add that to the fact that it was Monday, freezing cold, and 6:00 in the morning, and you've got a pretty pissed off Claire.

All I wanted was to go back to sleep and never get up again. If I was asleep I could convince myself that this whole thing was just a dream. If I was asleep I could believe that I still lived in my city apartment with my mom running around in the kitchen making herself a quick cup of coffee before work. And to believe in that fantasy, that ideal image that can never be, for the rest of my life would be heavenly.

But alas, I was not so lucky and before I could even fall back asleep there was a knock at the door. Not wanting to greet any visitors in my flannel pajamas I shouted "just a second!" and bound over to the dresser where only about half of the clothes I had packed actually fit. I threw on a pair of tight fitting dark was distressed boot cut jeans, a beige cashmere v-neck, and a pair of black designer ankle boot heels and ran my fingers through my hair before answering the door.

Without a mirror it's hard to say exactly what I looked like but by the way the mayor looked at me I either looked really bad (which would be awful) or really good (which would be very creepy, considering it was the mayor).

"Umm… Mayor Thomas?" I began tenderly.

"Yes?" he replied, his eyes finally looking up to my face.

He must not have gotten what I was going for so I continued, "Is something wrong?"

Thomas looked at my body again then back at my face with a doubtful look. "What are you wearing?"

_I was about to ask you the same question._I thought, looking at his suit, bow-tie, and ridiculously small top hat. Today they were yellow. But wanting to be polite, I decided to answer his question and started walking him through my outfit, going into great detail on the brand of the shoes.

While I was explaining the definition of 'boot cut' he interrupted me. "Sorry," he said, "what I guess I want to know is, are you really going to farm in that?"

The thought of actually planting and growing things in a field had never really crossed my mind but the idea of doing it in cashmere was ridiculous so to keep myself from looking even stupider than answering the farm door in designer heels, I made up excuses. "Of course not sir," I began. "I don't have any tools so today I was just going to walk around town and get to know my new neighbors and I want to make a good impression." Cue heartwarming smile.

He smiled back at me the way a grandma smiles at a child when she lets them get away with something she knows they shouldn't. "Actually, that's why I'm here. I wanted to let you know that I left a tool box with some farm tools and seeds in your cabin. I also suggest you make your way over to poultry farm and get yourself a chicken so you can have eggs. Your coop is down there," he pointed towards the bridge. "And those buildings by the doghouse are your barn, woodshed, and stable. If you have any questions you can ask me. Oh! And here," he handed me a piece of folded up paper. "Welcome to Mineral Town," he smiled and shook my hand before leaving.

I looked at the paper and it was a map of the town and hill. _Oooh,_ I thought, _there's a hotspring!_

* * *

Moments after Thomas left a burly (I mean anabolic steroids burly) guy comes walking down the lane. His timing was so perfect it was almost like he was waiting at the entrance of the farm for the mayor to leave. At six in the morning. On a Monday. Are the people in this town crazy?

"Uhh…" the guy looks left and right, "you're the new farmer, right?"

I sigh and look down at my clothes. "Yah, but I don't look like a farmer at all, do I?"

He chuckles. "Nope, if you want to work hard and make money without ruining your fancy clothes, I suggest you buy some overalls. The supermarket just got a shipment of blue ones yesterday.

Awww, he may be scary looking but he is so helpful! Maybe I will like this small town. "Thanks, that'd be really useful actually."

"You're welcome. Speaking of money and shipments…" and he proceeded to explain to me every detail about shipments and how to make money on a farm. How I can get milk from cows and wool from sheep and ship them and actually gave me a few tips on where to find good herbs to ship. He even lent me a book he had gotten at the library on how much items were worth, he claimed to have the whole thing memorized and asked me to return it for him when I was done.

After flipping through the book for a second I asked him, "how much would my 'fancy clothes' be worth? It doesn't seem like I'll be needing them anymore."

"Oh," he said, "sorry but you can only ship useful things like herbs and mushrooms. No flowers or anything cosmetic is accepted. It's a town policy."

"Alright," I sigh, "thanks for your help"

"Anytime." Zack smiles and before he out the gate he turns and says, "We do have some pretty nice festivals in this town. If you want to use your clothes to get all spiffy for those, you know, they could come in handy. Just saying, you'd look pretty all dolled up."

That made me smile. He beamed at me and walked away. I was a little sadder to see him go than I was the mayor but at least there was no one behind him waiting at the gate and I was free to keep myself occupied for the rest of the day. That hotspring looked pretty nice…

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**Keep your eye out for chapter three of this story. **

**I keep changing the name of it because I can't decide. Please comment which fanfiction title you like the best. One that you would be more likely to read. Okay, it's between:**  
**- Like Mother, Like Daughter**  
**- Liars**  
**- A Collection Of Circumstances**  
**- Help Me Grow**  
**- Secret Keepers**


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